I would search online on Craigslist. Let me clarify that. I would use "Search Tempest" . It is a Craigslist helper and works quite well. I have had great success finding riding mowers on there in Texas. Here's what I would do. Click on search tempest, put in the Joshua, tx zip code, click the boxes that say "has picture", and "search titles only", under keywords just put put riding mower. Then hit search now. You will find quite a few probably in your area. Here is a link that might be useful: Search Tempset

Well, I think I finally have a good list of public gardens for my list. Here are the places I found thanks to those of you who added to this list for me. I appreciate your help. This is copied from my website. There are links to each of these on my website if you are interested in finding out more about a specific garden - the link is below - click on Texas Public Gardens in the left column. "Here is a listing of Texas public gardens and nature centers that would make a great place to visit on a side trip during your next vacation. Click on the links below to plan your next trip to see some of these beautiful gardens. If you have suggestions to add to this list, please contact us below." Armand Bayou Nature CenterÂPasadena Bayou Bend Collections & GardensÂHouston Beaumont Botanical GardensÂBeaumont Chandor GardensÂMineral Wells Chihuahuan Desert Research InstituteÂFt. Davis Clark GardensÂWeatherford Colleen Bright GardensÂWoodway Corpus Christi Botanical Gardens and Nature CenterÂCorpus Christi Dallas ArboretumÂDallas Earl Harrison House and GardensÂWaco Fort Worth Botanic GardensÂFort Worth Grapevine Botanical GardensÂGrapevine Green Acres Master Gardeners Demonstration GardensÂRockport Heard Natural Science MuseumÂMcKinney Hermann Park ConservancyÂHouston Ladybird Johnson Wildflower CenterÂAustin Mercer Arboretum and Botanic GardensÂMercer Moody GardensÂGalveston Mrs. LeeÂs Daffodil GardensÂGladewater Peckerwood GardensÂHemstead San Antonio Botanical GardensÂSan Antonio Shangri-la GardensÂOrange S.M. Tracy HerbariumÂCollege Station South Texas Botanical Gardens and Nature CenterÂCorpus Christi Stephen F. Austin Mast ArboretumÂNacogdoches Texas Discovery GardensÂDallas Tyler Municipal Rose GardensÂTyler Valley Nature CenterÂWeslaco Waco WetlandsÂWaco Water Lily Collection at Civic League ParkÂSan Angelo Zilker Botanical GardensÂAustin Here is a link that might be useful: Allen Garden Club

Here's a picture of the slide. The colors are just too busy and not what we were looking for. Their is also too big of a drop from the top down into the slide seat. They broke the top and created a step down so the kids can slide. Waiting on good weather to strip the slide where it is yellow and green/grays to change those colors a bit darker. We may end up redoing the whole thing in a solid color. Right now it's just really ugly to me and I've hardly taken any pictures since. Here is our grill they finished. It was a small 8 ft area but worked out perfectly for us :) This is the first half of the arbor. We are building another one right behind it that goes into the ground to support the entire thing. The second arbor will be for a hammock...totally can't wait. Looking from under the arbor back at the house. You can see our iron fence for the dog run is up and hubby got his Longhorn emblem made into the fence. A little path to our pool equipment behind the slide.

poolguynj and other PB's thanks again for the quick follow ups and feedback on my questions and concerns. currently the PB still has his maintenance guy coming over daily to check the chemicals, brushing etc. and adding chemicals as needed. PB said that he would do that for about a month before turning it over completely to us for maintenance. natural one, thanks for your comments on the pool build. the PB was actually there for all of the stages and on site a quite often so we felt that he was on top of everything from beginning to end. as fari as the drains, personally it doesn't bother me and kinda like the contrast but that just me. what actually bothered me more was the color of the pool cleaner, it's white with a white hose and when i asked about it our PB said that to get the black one, it would be about 300 bucks more. uh, i decided the white one didn't look bad after all! also, we had a landscaper come out last week and give us a bid for some landscaping behind the pool. it was over 6800 for landscaping that i was not even going to be able to see since the back beam is raised.....i nearly swallowed my gum when he told us the price. so we are thinking now that we will reduce the size of the bed directly behind the pool, but add perhaps some windmill palms on each end to give it some character and instead, add some beds on each end of the pool so at least we can visually enjoy some of our expenses! the sun came out today so hopefully i can post some pictures this afternoon. Thanks again everyone!!!!